Dear friends and family,
I have once again been blessed with a week full of fun and learning! Last Monday, I received a phone call that made me more happy than any other one I have received on the mission. It was Nanay Betty, who said her doctor in Manila had traveled to Japan and wouldn't be back until the fourteenth. And, she also said that when she does go down to Manila that she has decided she will not stay there. Rather, she will return in a week or less and be baptized shortly after. I cannot express the deep gratitude that I have for this fact. I attribute this miracle to the hand of the Lord, and I can't wait to continue to help Nanay in her course to baptism and later the temple.
One thing that I have noticed about Nanay, and our other investigators who seem to have been prepared by the Lord, is that they have all known individuals who are members of the Church in the past. For Nanay Betty, and Nelson (another investigator who has gone to church the past few weeks) it was one of their parents. Nanay Betty has expressed in the past the great love her father had for the Book of Mormon, and now says how grateful she is that she has had the opportunity to read it as well. Even though her father died many years ago, his example has lived on and helped her come to know of the truthfulness of the Lord's church.
With this in mind, I have been thinking a lot recently about the power a righteous parent has on his/her children. When doing so, a scripture came to mind from one of my favorite speeches in the Book of Mormon, that speech being from the prophet King Benjamin. In a long sermon he gave to the people of his land at the end of reign as king, he directed one of his comments towards the parents present at the sermon in saying that we as parents "must teach [our children] to walk in the ways of truth and soberness...[and] suffer that they transgress [not] the laws of God" (Mosiah 4:14-15). I wondered at one time why a king would make such a specific comment towards parents. However, as I have had the privilege of seeing the positive effect a righteous parent can have in the life of their children, and as I now attribute the person I am today based on the example of my wonderful parents, I have realized the immense role a parent has not only in the life of their children, but in the success of society as a whole.
Indeed, I believe parenthood to be the most important calling one could receive in this life and I am very grateful for the wonderful parents that I have been blessed with. Whether my parents knew it or not, I was always watching what they were doing and learned much from doing so. I believe the old saying to be true that "The apple does not fall far from the tree." I believe that if all parents would live the lives that he/she wishes his/her children to follow, that our whole world would change one family at a time. My challenge to all this week, both parent or not, is to live the life that they want their children to live. I know as parents do so, our world will be blessed to change for good beyond measure.
Have a great week everybody!
Love,
Elder Pulley
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